Lakers’ Caldwell-Pope to miss games due to legal agreement

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will miss multiple games over the next few weeks due to a legal matter.

The fifth-year guard said on Saturday via ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk that he will not be allowed to leave the state of California for the next 25 days due to a plea agreement he reached in May. That means he will be unable to travel with the team for away games against the Houston Rockets on Dec. 20 and again on Dec. 31 as well as against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Jan. 1.

Caldwell-Pope is averaging 14.2 points and 4.9 rebounds per game in his first season with the Lakers and also serves as the team’s top perimeter defender. He was arrested on a misdemeanor DUI charge back in March when he was still a member of the Detroit Pistons (full details here).

The 24-year-old also missed Thursday’s away loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers and was replaced in the starting lineup by rookie guard Josh Hart. For what it’s worth though, Caldwell-Pope is fortunate that 10 of the Lakers’ next 14 games are at home. He will also be eligible to play in an away game against the Golden State Warriors on December 22 since he will be remaining in-state.